Restructuring our Diocese for 2030

“In order for us to foster prayer, develop formation, and ensure continuing mission

we must review our Diocesan and Parish life.

This must be carried out at a time when the ratio of priests to people is changing.

This will be challenging for all concerned, and difficult decisions must be made.”

Richard, our Bishop, October 2, 2017

To help us prepare we have been asked to reflect on this situation.

Please take home the sheet you will have received at the end of the Mass on October 14/15, 2017, answer as many questions as you feel able to,

and return them by Sunday, October 29, 2017

In case you didn’t receive the questionnaire, the questions are repeated below and you can print these out and respond.

The Parish of Christ the King and St. Joachim’s Parish Questionnaire – Planning for 2030

At a recent meeting with our Bishop Richard, he reported that by 2030 the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton will have according to current trends, only 50 active priests. This compares with the current number of 92.

The Bishop wants to address this issue now and has asked that a team from each parish assists him in his forward planning by providing a response to the following questions that he has put forward.

1. Given the Mission to which we have all been entrusted, what three things do you think we most need for Mission-effectiveness?

2. What roles in this Mission can be best carried out by the lay-faithful?

3. What factors, do you think, have brought about the present situation

that we are having to address in our Diocese?

4. If we were starting the Diocese today with 25 priests, where would you place them?

5. What roles in this Mission belong to the Priest? How can the Lay- faithful help?

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